The African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFRRI) launches three new research papers

[Knowledge base]

"Participatory radio campaigns and food security: How radio can help farmers make informed decisions"

• Radio continues to be a significant method of communication in Africa.
• Involving farmers in the development of radio programming increased the odds that they would adopt new agricultural practices (in comparison with passive listeners).
• Farmers demonstrated increased knowledge of agriculture innovations as a result of listening to AFRRI radio programs.

"Marketing on the airwaves: Marketing information service (MIS) and radio"

• Radio can link farmers to new markets and buyers and help them negotiate better prices.
• Emerging private sponsorship interest suggests the possibility of a sustainable funding model.
• Data shows that MIS radio programs are well-known and highly valued.

"The new age of radio: How ICTs are changing rural radio in Africa"

• SMS alerts help raise radio listenership up to 20%.
• A majority of extension agents that can be heard on radio programs report that their impact is substantially increased.
• A majority of partner broadcasters state that the internet is the most important ICT tool for producing farm radio programs.

The African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFRRI) was a 42-month action research project implemented by Farm Radio International (FRI) in partnership with World University Service of Canada (WUSC), and with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.